Artwork Page for Luster Bowl with Antelope

Details / Information for Luster Bowl with Antelope

Luster Bowl with Antelope

1000s

Egypt, Fustat (Old Cairo), Fatimid period

(909–1171)
Medium
earthenware with luster-painted design
Measurements
Diameter: 25.4 cm (10 in.); Overall: 6.8 cm (2 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1944.476
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
116 Islamic
Print
?

Did You Know?

The luster technique was transmitted by Iraqi potters to the Fatimid court in Cairo.

Description

The production of lusterware flourished in the prosperous Fatimid court in Cairo. The technique used metal oxides to paint designs onto a ceramic vessel. It was expensive and unpredictable but, if done correctly, would create a glistening effect. Fatimid lusterware motifs are quite varied, drawing on Greek and Christian themes, floral and vegetal designs, and a menagerie of animals. Some scenes focus on a single creature, as is the case with the antelope on this dish, while others evoke courtly themes of hunting or banquets.
Inside of a circular, ceramic bowl depicting a gold antelope and patterns on white. The antelope lifts its legs in motion, its head and horns extending from the base onto the bowl's sides. A gold band circles the rim while organic shapes filled with gold swirls and thicker, gold leaf shapes with stems fill the space around the antelope. Some of the gold at the bowl's base, where the antelope's torso is, has worn away.

Luster Bowl with Antelope

1000s

Egypt, Fustat (Old Cairo), Fatimid period (909–1171)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.